A judge has doubled the bond amount for a local man accused in a domestic violence incident that led to the death of a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department K9.
A video conference allowed Michael L. Stephens, 36, of 1990 W. County Road 625S to take part in an initial hearing while incarcerated in the Bartholomew County Jail. The initial hearing was conducted by Magistrate and Circuit Court commissioner Kim Van Valer, who oversees routine cases when Circuit Court Judge Kelly Benjamin is unavailable.
Stephens is accused of one Level 5 count of domestic battery, as well as four Level 6 felonies: strangulation, residential entry, intimidation and invasion of privacy. Stephens is also facing Class A misdemeanor charges of resisting law enforcement, intimidation and interfering with a law enforcement animal.
If convicted of all charges, Stephens could be sentenced to between five and 19 years in prison, as well as face fines of up to $65,000. The magistrate scheduled a 11:30 a.m. pre-trial conference for Feb. 8, while a tentative trial is set for 8:30 a.m. on March 9.
Stephens’ bond was raised from $97,500 to $210,000 or 10% cash, jail commander Maj. John Martoccia said.
The eight charges against Stephens stem from two separate incidents on Nov. 14, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Stephens is accused of violating a no-contact order and entering his ex-wife’s home and waking her, according to a probable cause affidavit.
As the victim resisted being abducted by her ex-husband in her own vehicle, Stephens is accused of striking her face and grabbing her by the hair, throat and wrist, the court documents state. At one point, Stephens grabbed the victim by the throat so hard that she could not breath as he threatened to kill both of them by wrecking the vehicle, court documents state.
Eventually, Stephens got out of the vehicle after stopping at a friend’s home, which enabled the victim to drive away and call for help.
After first responders took the victim to the emergency room for treatment, another call came in regarding Stephens. Officers soon learned that Stephens had forced another man under threat, William “Ray” Smith, to drive him in Smith’s red pickup truck, the court documents state.
Deputy Matthew Bush, who is the handler for K9 Diesel, saw the pickup coming towards him on a remote country road, and narrowly avoided a head-on collision, the affidavit stated. Bush then turned around and followed the truck, the detective wrote.
Even though Smith said he was threatened if he stopped, the driver brought the pickup to a stop near Interstate 65 as Bush approached from behind, according to the affidavit. That prompted Stephens to flee on foot and run through a wooded area toward I-65 on foot, court documents state. After shouting multiple warnings to the suspect — including one that warned he had a police dog — Bush released Diesel, who followed the suspect to the interstate.
After other deputies arrived as a backup, a search along I-65 revealed the police dog had been killed after being hit by a vehicle. When Stephens was located in a ravine a short time later, he appeared to have no injuries caused by the police dog, the affidavit states.
Stephens told Van Valer he had written Benjamin last week requesting a speedy trial, but court officials told him the letter had not yet arrived.
Stephens is awaiting sentencing in another felony case. In September, he plead guilty in Benjamin’s courtroom to a Level 6 felony charge of domestic battery in the presence of a child 16 or younger. A second, but identical charge was dropped, and sentencing has been set for Jan. 7.
As part of the plea agreement in that case, Stephens was allowed to be released from jail to await his sentencing.
During Monday’s hearing, Stephens asked that public defender Don Edwards, who represented him earlier, also handle his defense in the newest cases.
